Good points. I think you perfectly correct. I also think that starting low would be more logical than to assume one has a totally unproven, unevidenced 1200 rating upon signing on.
If you are stronger or really strong, you will still rise up from 600 in no time.
Because someone who would lose all games, because he is a cat, would have the same rating as someone who would have a 50/50 win/lose ratio (assuming equal gains/losses).
And we can all agree that they do not have the same skill, but yet have the same rating. This problem does not occur with the current rating system.
Read this post, #3 from Erik (no better source than he for why things are at Chess.com):
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/chess-rating-system
That wouldn't make any sense. If you started everyone's grade at 600, then the average would settle somewhere around 600. All this would achieve is bringing everyone's grades down 600 points.
You have to understand that the rating system used here (and everywhere else) is relative. It is not an indication of some absolute strength.
ok, but what does the rating system can do if I just register and freeze my rating playing unrated forever? That is misleading for other players. Does the rating system also consider those unrated players situations?
ugh. no. If u freeze at 1200 it doesnt matter. unrated is just a from of play. Actually i think ratings, should start at 1500
What do you mean by scratch?
Because someone who would lose all games, because he is a cat, would have the same rating as someone who would have a 50/50 win/lose ratio (assuming equal gains/losses).
And we can all agree that they do not have the same skill, but yet have the same rating. This problem does not occur with the current rating system.
But if I start at 600 and lose all games my rating would go to 300 or whatever... and the 50/50 guy would stay at 600... what would be wrong there?
What do you mean by scratch?
from the bottom
Ratings.... sorry....I was wondering if it wouldn't be more meaningful if once you register you start with a very very low rating, let's say 600 or whatever, so you have to make your way to your real game level. Sometimes you find some players which have 1300 but it's not real because they have just registered and won two games, or some other freeze that 1200 playing unrated forever. Anyway, 1200 is not a high rating but I was just wondering since I guess most of the chess community members must be around 1000 rating. Or maybe it would be kind of disencouraging to start so down, what do you think?